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Consumerism and Rise of Technology

Explore the post-WWI era of prosperity, rise of consumerism, and new technological inventions in the 1920s. Learn about the impact of credit, advertising, household inventions, and the Great Depression.

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Consumerism and Rise of Technology

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  1. Consumerism and Rise of Technology

  2. Context • Post WWI era of prosperity • New economic models to increase production • Decade of conservative politicians • Supported capitalism, big businesses • American dream • Equate prosperity with progress • Consumerism engrained in American culture

  3. Consumerism • Social and economic system causing desire to purchase material goods in great amounts • With rise of consumerism came rise of materialism • Economic boom lead to higher wages • Higher wages lead to more goods being bought • 1920s as the obsession of consumerism and materialism flourish throughout the United States

  4. Rise of Credit • Increase in consumerism leads to the rise of credit • Instead of paying in cash could put it on credit • Easy to become stuck in debt • Caused debt = factor of the Great Depression

  5. Rise in Advertising • More consumer goods available than ever before • Convincing people their life would be better with the product • The rise in technology provided brand new ways for advertisements to be spread • Celebrities • Used common insecurities of people

  6. Coca-Cola • One of the largest and most visible companies in the world thanks to its successful advertisement campaigns • Holiday Campaigns • Sports • Contour bottle

  7. New Technology • 1920s was an important decade for new technology • Many were common household items: • Telephone • Automobiles • Toaster • Refrigerator • Washing machine • Vacuum cleaner • Rayon

  8. Household Inventions • Radio • Ernest Alexanderson • Credited for modern day radio • High frequency alternator • This helped lead to the invention of the television. • First broadcast in 1920 of the Harding-Cox presidential election. • Soon, 2 million homes had radios

  9. Household Inventions • Earle Dickson Band-Aid (1920) • First version of Hair dryer invented • Before women had to use vacuums! • Clarence Birdseye Frozen food • Meat + Veggies  preserved in waxed-cardboard cartons, after exposure to high pressure

  10. The Great Depression • October 29, 1929 – Black Tuesday • Severe economic depression • Caused by decline in consumer demand, financial panics, and misguided government policies • Decline in output, deflation, unemployment

  11. Significance • Economic prosperity influenced rise of new technologies • Urbanization • Rise of credit • Rise of debt • Uncontrolled consumerism directly led to Great Depression • Created new American culture of consumerism • Still see effects today

  12. Bibliography • http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/radio-tv.html • http://www.buzzle.com/articles/inventions-of-the-1920s.html • Rise of Consumerism and Mass Culture. 3 July 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture>. • Dictionary. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <dictionary.com>. • "Advertising in the 1920s." EyeWitness to History. 2000. 21 February 2010. • <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpmech4.htm> • “Coke Lore.” The Coca Cola Company. 21 February 2010 • <http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html>  • "Great Depression." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2010  http://school.eb.com/eb/article-234442.  • Gusmorino, Paul A., III. "Main Causes of the Great Depression." Gusmorino World (May 13, 1996). Online. Internet: <http://www.gusmorino.com/pag3/greatdepression/index.html. 22 February 2010> • “Making Sense of Ads - American Advertising: A Brief History.” History Matters. 21 February 2010. • <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/ads/amadv.html> • “Understanding Advertising: Decoding an Ad’s Appeal.” Center for History and New Media. 21 February 2010. • <http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/omalley/120/empire/ads/ads.html>

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